D’var Torah for Friday, September 1, 2023

Happy Pesach!!!

Oh, yes…you read that correctly…Happy Passover!  I bet not a lot of people are actually thinking of Pesach at the moment; however, from a “Torah-portion-perspective,” it’s almost impossible NOT to think of Pesach this particular week…leading up to the High Holy Days.  You see, there are words from this very week’s Torah portion that are at the very beginning of the Haggadah, the very start of the telling of the Passover story – “Arami oved avi” – translated as…”all sorts of different translations.”  One popular translation is “My father/ancestor was a wandering Aramean.”  Another popular translation is “An Aramean tried to destroy my father/ancestor.”  Adding to the confusion, some believe that “my father/ancestor” refers to Abraham, some say Jacob, some say…  Regardless of the “who,” consider for the moment the two very different translations regarding the “what” (or the “action,” if you will).  It’s true that our people have wandered – through history, through time, through all parts of the world.  Also true – others have tried to destroy us, from time to time, and throughout time – some more devastatingly so than others.  What’s really true is some combination thereof…  While people have tried to destroy us, we continue to survive, and exist, and thrive – impacting the world in so many profoundly positive ways.  We must never let go of the hope and faith necessary to carry us through any period of wandering – physically or spiritually.  At the same time, we must never take for granted our very existence.  We must appreciate all that our people have/has experienced through time in order for us to thrive and exist as we do, even as we offer the very best of ourselves to others.  During this month of Elul, this time of introspection and contemplation, let us be forgiving, even as we pray to be forgiven.  L’shanah tovah um’tukah – wishing each and all of us a healthy and happy new year.

Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Eric J. Lazar